Sorry, website for KCRC trains should be:

www.kcrc.com

Thanks again, you should get a job as a tour guide in Hong Kong!!

I have returned from my Asia adventures and am finally ready to weigh in on the Eaton. Before I begin, I would like to make a disclaimer about our lifestyle/travel budget:

We (my boyfriend and I) are not rich, but not poor. Actually, he is pretty well off, but I am a starving law student that and he completely supports me. So, though we like nice things and expensive places, they do not always fit into our budget, therefore we stayed at the Eaton instead of the Penninsula. That being said...

I loved the Eaton. I thought the location was great. Many people will say that you should stay on HK island or stay in Tsim Sha Tsui, near the harbour. Though I enjoyed those areas, I really enjoyed the neighborhood of the Eaton. It is in the heart of Kowloon just a block away from the night market and two blocks from the jade market. This neighborhood felt like "real" Hong Kong. It was anything but touristy. From the packed streets and the restaurants butchering large fish right on the sidewalk, you could not get a better taste of the culture of the average HK citizen. The other areas where most tourists stay are also representative of HK, just more of the glitz and glamour. Because my boyfriend and I love to people-watch and go off the beaten path, the neighborhood of the Eaton suited us nicely.

Additionally, when it was time to venture elsewhere, getting around HK with our launching pad being the Eaton was extremely easy. The transit system in HK is amazing. It puts the system here in Chicago to shame. The Octipus card is a wonderful invention and we used it often. There is an MTR station a few blocks from the Eaton and it was easy to get to and from. We also hopped several busses outside of the hotel that took us to the Star Ferry rather quickly.

As far as getting to the Eaton from the Airport and back, this was also no problem. We took the airport express and a shuttle bus to the Eaton. HOWEVER, the shuttle bus that runs by the Eaton stopped running on March 15, so this is no longer a viable option. The hotel does have its own shuttle bus service that it shares with neighboring hotels that was actually cheaper than the Airport Express. The trip from the Eaton to the airport cost HK90 each. As far as where and when to catch this bus FROM the Airport, I am not sure. You would probably have to contact the hotel to get this info. I highly recommend using this service instead of trying to use the MTR from the Airport. That would be very cheap, but would require 3-4 train changes. It is worth the $12 to take the Eaton bus. It is a long trip from the airport and the bus ride is comfortable (especially if you have a ton of luggage).

The hotel itself:
The common areas of the hotel are very nice and updated. The hotel itself looks upscale. Our basic room was quite small by American standards, but we thought it was cute and had no problems living in it for 8 days. It was clean and modern. I have a feeling this was an updated room. Great water pressure in the shower (always something I look for)!

We also got exceptional service in the hotel. Part of our stay was business related, so I had to use the internet connection in our room. In the middle of the night when it stopped working, a technician was there to fix it within 10 minutes. We also took advantage of the business center.

The one downfall of the hotel is that they charge for EVERYTHING. Local calls cost HK$8. The business center expenses were outrageous. The restaurants were pretty pricey too. Of course, this is typical of most hotels. So, if you don't want to incure extra costs, don't use that many of the hotel services.

The one thing we really did enjoy was the Aroma Coffee Shop on the lower level. We ended up eating breakfast there every day and had wonderful fresh fruit, yogurt, fresh squeezed juice, and an egg sandwhich for about $10 for the two of us (total!). Additionally, the coffee shop has free internet terminals available for customers.

So, overall, we thought the hotel was definitely not a luxury establishment but was definitely nicer than budget accomodations. I would compare it with a decent Holiday Inn. So, if you are a budget traveler looking for comfortable accomodations outside of a tourist area, I would definitely recommend the Eaton. In fact, if I am ever traveling to HK again and am on a budget, I would probably stay there again.

Let me know if you want any more specific details. I will try to write a proper trip report once I recover from the bug I caught in Bangkok as well as the horrible jet lag!

SJLBK - Great report. Nice to know that you love the area of the Eaton and find it convenient. As for shuttles from the Airport to the hotel, there are several companies that run them, and they all have counters at the arrival hall. My parents take them often when they don't feel like the Cityflyer bus. [We never take the Airport Express.] HK$90 is about the standard rate for hotels in Kowloon. You can just walk up to their counter, and they will tell you when the next departure is at, and where.

I just got back from HK and stayed in this Hotel. In comparison to others for the price/space, we were well received and the rooms were clean. Small is normal and compare to European standards. Make sure you ask for a renovated floor, which probably took place a decade ago.The restaurants and the Bar are very good. The location is perfect to take the MTR and to visit three markets across from the Hotel (Temple Market,at Night, Jade market and the Market that the real HK'ers use. Make sure you get an Octopus card for travel around the city and the islands.